Suicide in the forces had levelled off during 2010 and 2011, but 2017 has seen the fastest pace since the US war in Afghanistan began in 2001.

Strength or weakness?

News of the suicide rate increase comes despite years of effort by the US military to encourage troops to seek help for mental health problems.

Those efforts include setting up confidential telephone hotlines and placing more mental health specialists near the battlefield.

But reports suggest that some in the military continue to believe that going for help is seen as a sign of weakness.

Last month, Major General Dana Pittard, a commander in the 1st Armored Division, retracted an Army blog post made in January in which he told soldiers considering suicide to "act like an adult".

Gen Pittard also counselled soldiers to seek help, but his remarks drew public rebuke from top military officials, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey.

Gen Dempsey said he disagreed with Gen Pittard "in the strongest possible terms", the Associated Press reported.

Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith told the BBC that "suicide prevention is first and foremost a leadership responsibility".

"Seeking help is a sign of strength," she added.

【美军自杀率攀升 一天死一人】相关文章：

★ 美团、饿了么回应偷听质疑，网友：那怎么说啥就推荐啥

★ 美国空气最清新的城市

★ 老板的小小举动温暖了我的心

★ 趁着年轻做自己想做的事

★ 可口可乐推出丧心病狂新品,功能过于强大

★ 米歇尔牛津激情演讲 场景似魔法学校

★ 你的脸上爱长痘？马上要有新的疗法了

★ Taylor Swift格莱美几乎0提名？事业到头了吗

★ 美国科学基金会被批研究项目太古怪

★ BBC推荐：四月份最值得一看的4部电影